Posters
Presentation Type
Poster
Discipline Track
Community/Public Health
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: From the beginning of the confinement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the prevalence of depression was >22%, while ENSANUT 2018 survey reported a prevalence of 13.6%. The pandemic had an adverse impact on young people, affecting employment, their professional future, education, training and, therefore, their mental well-being. Early studies show that young people have higher levels of anxiety and depression than adults and older adults.
Methods: We evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of students from the upper secondary and higher education levels of northern Tamaulipas, Mexico, measuring the prevalence of anxiety and depression with the goal of adopt early and timely diagnosis, prevention, and management strategies. This study was descriptive, observational, cross-sectional, and prospective with non-probabilistic sampling of volunteers (N = 576). Two instruments were applied, one to assess anxiety-depression (the 'Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale', MADRS) and the Patient's Mental Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The two formats were structured on the Google Forms© Platform (https://docs.google.com/forms) and, which also included questions about the age, municipality of residence and type of study and/or work of each participant.
Results: Most of participants in this study were from the municipalities of Miguel Aleman (48%), Camargo (16%), Ciudad Mier (10%) and Gustavo Díaz Ordaz (4%); the rest came from other municipalities and states of Mexico. Most of young people do work (44%), the rest only study (31%) or study/work (25%). The 87% of participants were between 16 - 25 years old. Both instruments generally identified similar response patterns. The PHQ-9 instrument mainly identified null or mild anxiety-depression (85%); while with MADRS it was 66%. The highest percentages of anxiety-depression were detected with the MADRS instrument (72%), compared to the PHQ-9 (34%). With both instruments, serious severity of 5-6% was identified, and 14 young people (2.4%) showed explicit suicidal tendencies. Mild, moderate, and serious (severe) anxiety-depression levels were detected in people under 25 years-old (71%); in people who study and study/work (76%); and participants from Camargo (80%).
Conclusions: The study indicated the presence of mild to serious (severe) anxiety-depression in a significant percentage of young residents of northern Tamaulipas. The identification of young people with explicit suicidal tendencies stands out. The MADRS instrument was more accurate in identifying youth with anxiety-depression problems compared to the PHQ-9. Results indicated the need to develop urgent diagnostic, care and timely prevention measures to address the mental health problems of young people in this region of Mexico.
Academic/Professional Position
Graduate Student
Recommended Citation
Velázquez-Loredo, Teresa, "Prevalence of anxiety and depression in young people from northern Tamaulipas, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic" (2024). Research Symposium. 115.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2023/posters/115
Included in
Prevalence of anxiety and depression in young people from northern Tamaulipas, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
Background: From the beginning of the confinement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the prevalence of depression was >22%, while ENSANUT 2018 survey reported a prevalence of 13.6%. The pandemic had an adverse impact on young people, affecting employment, their professional future, education, training and, therefore, their mental well-being. Early studies show that young people have higher levels of anxiety and depression than adults and older adults.
Methods: We evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of students from the upper secondary and higher education levels of northern Tamaulipas, Mexico, measuring the prevalence of anxiety and depression with the goal of adopt early and timely diagnosis, prevention, and management strategies. This study was descriptive, observational, cross-sectional, and prospective with non-probabilistic sampling of volunteers (N = 576). Two instruments were applied, one to assess anxiety-depression (the 'Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale', MADRS) and the Patient's Mental Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The two formats were structured on the Google Forms© Platform (https://docs.google.com/forms) and, which also included questions about the age, municipality of residence and type of study and/or work of each participant.
Results: Most of participants in this study were from the municipalities of Miguel Aleman (48%), Camargo (16%), Ciudad Mier (10%) and Gustavo Díaz Ordaz (4%); the rest came from other municipalities and states of Mexico. Most of young people do work (44%), the rest only study (31%) or study/work (25%). The 87% of participants were between 16 - 25 years old. Both instruments generally identified similar response patterns. The PHQ-9 instrument mainly identified null or mild anxiety-depression (85%); while with MADRS it was 66%. The highest percentages of anxiety-depression were detected with the MADRS instrument (72%), compared to the PHQ-9 (34%). With both instruments, serious severity of 5-6% was identified, and 14 young people (2.4%) showed explicit suicidal tendencies. Mild, moderate, and serious (severe) anxiety-depression levels were detected in people under 25 years-old (71%); in people who study and study/work (76%); and participants from Camargo (80%).
Conclusions: The study indicated the presence of mild to serious (severe) anxiety-depression in a significant percentage of young residents of northern Tamaulipas. The identification of young people with explicit suicidal tendencies stands out. The MADRS instrument was more accurate in identifying youth with anxiety-depression problems compared to the PHQ-9. Results indicated the need to develop urgent diagnostic, care and timely prevention measures to address the mental health problems of young people in this region of Mexico.